My Little Pony G5: Want It, Need It
by sara t. fontanini
Summary: As the citizens of the Pony Kingdom make preparations for the upcoming Festival, another visitor comes to town, so soon after Groger. He is a smooth talking, well dressed stallion named Snake Oil, who promises soething new that will help solve all your problems. But is he on the level? And what will become of Horseshoes once she is caught up in all this?
1. Chapter 1

My Little Pony G5

Want it, Need it

By Sara T. Fontanini

Part 1

The first day of the five day long Festival was approaching and so every able bodied pony with time to spare was pitching in, setting up tents, stalls and various other methods through which wares could be sold, games could played and assorted other entertainments could be enjoyed.

Horseshoes, being a trainee whose application to join the knights was still under consideration, had been given the task of overseeing everything. Her friend Lickety Split was helping with the design and construction of some attractions, in return for the Union providing him with a new home after it was destroyed during Groger's attack.

She REALLY didn't want to remember that time right now. Now was the time to prepare some fun and games...and she was bored out of her MIND. So many people to discuss arrangements with, so many things to inspect and ensure nothing unexpected would happen. It was all just too much for her to take. The only upside was being able to help in construction, which allowed her to do some heavy lifting and build up her muscles, she basically saw it as potential training, which while frustrating at times was still beneficial.

She blinked and she and several other ponies, Earth and Pegasus alike, stopped what they were doing and listened to the sound of wooden wheels creaking along. Eventually, a small caravan drove into the main square in front of them and stopped. A brown earth pony, wearing a black coat-tailed jacket, white shirt, black pinstriped pants and a large black top hat with a round object with a spiral mark on it sitting atop his well-groomed and styled mane, stepped down from the driver's seat of the caravan and trotted into the back of his caravan, quickly taking out curtains, support beams and the like, setting up a stage, in front of which was a sign proclaiming 'Professor Zebediah J. Snake Oil's Emporium of Wonder and Delight'.

Horseshoes and the rest of the crowd walked over towards the stage, the other Pegasi and Earth Ponies muttering with each other. The well dressed Earth Pony stood upright on his hind legs atop the stage, a crook cane under his left foreleg.

He smiled at the crowd and tipped his hat towards them. "Greetings friends, I am Professor Zebediah J. Snake Oil III, and I am here to sell you some wares."

Horseshoes tilted her head in puzzlement, but still kept a doubtful look on her face. "Ok, well, sorry but we're not feeling too hospitable right now, the last outsider who visited us caused a real ruckus and we're kinda busy otherwise."

Snake Oil nodded, smiling calmly and confidently. "Now, now, just because one foreigner comes in and causes some mayhem doesn't mean that we're all bad. Besides, I was born and raised right in this here very town."

"We'll have to look that up later, or at least the knights will, after I inform them." Horseshoes retorted.

"Please do, you will find nothing untoward. Besides, I am only ehre to give y'all a spiel, hopefully interest you in buying some, and then be on my way. If you aren't interested, then I shall be just on my way out, even though all I'm interested in is helping you fine folks with your problems."

"How would you intend to do that?" A green Pegasus asked skeptically.

"Why I'm glad you asked!" Snake Oil grinned throwing his cane up and cathing it, spinning around in his hoof as up-tempo music began to play along with an old timey piano beat, and then began to sing.

"_Now look at all you ponies,_

_Standing around an' workin' hard._

_Aren't you all tired?_

_Ain't ya all sore?_

_Ain't ya got some problems?_

_Well if so, I've got the currrreeeee!_

_I have been all over, from the land of the Minotaurs_

_To the Empire of the Griffons_

_And all the places in between_

_And In my travels I did find_

_A magical, all purpose cure all_

_To wash away your cares!_

_And here is what it is!"_

Suddenly he tapped his cane once against the floor of the stage and a table lined with hundreds of large green bottles rolled onto the stage from the right.

"_It will cure ya what ails ya!_

_It will give you what you need!_

_It's Professor Snake Oil's_

_All Purpose Cure-All_

_And it is yours today!"_

"What exactly does it cure?" Horseshoes asked.

"That's a very good question!" Snake Oil replied, pointing his cane at the pony in question.

"_As it says on the bottle_

_It is a Cure-All_

_It will cure everything_

_From depression to chicken pox_

_To dementia and the chills!_

_I have sold it to many_

_Satisfied customers!_

_And while that may not tempt you_

_Perhaps a demonstration is in order!"_

He took a quick swig from a bottle, and suddenly bragged a one ton weight from behind him, and he began to lift it with ease, as if it were as light as a feather.

"_It will make ya strong!_

_It will make you healthy!_

_It will make you happy!_

_And me, I'll be wealthy."_ He whispered away from the audience.

"_It'll cure ya what ails ya!_

_It'll give you what you need!_

_It's Professor Snake Oil's_

_Magical Cure-All!_

_And it will be yours,_

_Satisfaction guaranteed!"_

The other ponies started to nod along to the music, murmuring with each excitedly while Horseshoes tried to remain sceptical. "Where exactly did you get this 'Cure-All'?" She asked.

Snake Oil Smiled as he danced along. "Another excellent question!"

"_It was during my travels_

_That I came upon _

_Some very special flowers_

_Some local Minotaurs, were kind enough give me_

_Their secret family recipe _

_To make this wondrous elixir!_

_And I regret I cannot tell you_

_What is in the recipe_

_What I can explain, iiiiiis_

_It will cure what ails ya!" _The other ponies began to sing along.

_It will give you what you need!_

_It's Professor Zebediah J. Snake Oil III's_

_Magical, all purpose, strength enhancing_

_Courage inducing, bliss making,_

_Baby making, cold reducing_

_Wonderful!_

_Astounding!_

_Incredibllllle!_

_Cure allllll!_

_And it is yours for free!"_

The ponies gasped in surprise at this. "F-FREEE!?"

He nodded. "Well, to be fair, what I mean is the first SAMPLE is free, so y'all only get one bottle today, to try it out yourself. And by golly, if you don't come here tomorrow morning, ready to buy more, I'll eat my own hat and shave my hair!" he chuckled at this.

"I-I don't know everyone.." Horseshoes said. "It's too good to be true..."

"Healthy scepticism is only perfectly reasonable." Snake Oil said. "But surely you have some problem, something you want cured, some task you want to achieve but can't due to whatever reason. So tell me...what ails ya?" he leaned in, grinning wide.

She gulped, looking around. "I-I...I wanna be stronger so I can join the knights..."

"A fine dream that is!" He stated excitedly. "Very ambitious! Now, all of you, tell me what your problems are!"

"My joints hurt when i walk!"

"I-I want a guy I like to look at me!"

"I am having trouble seeing things properly."

"I'm colour blind!"

"I sprained my hoof!"

He quietened down the chorus of ponies stating their problems. "Those are all terrible, terrible afflictions, but do not worry, when I say it is a cure all, I mean it will cure ALL. Physical problems, mental problems, injuries, illnesses, even things that you don't think could be cured, will be so! Just take a free bottle and drink up!"

He threw a bottle at each pony, each one grabbing a bottle with either their hooves, both legs or their mouths. Horseshoes grabbed one, looking at it carefully.

"If this really can cure all..." She thought to herself. "Then maybe...maybe it can help me become a knight..."

She gulped and after a short pause, shrugged and took a swig, licking her lips, and then suddenly downing the whole thing all at once.

Snake Oil smiled. "Now...would you fine people care to buy some?"

Horseshoes and the rest of the crowd eagerly agreed. "I'll pay anything!"

He smirked. "Good...just give me your money, and I'll give you EXACTLY what you need..." He chuckled quietly to himself, still smiling, but the smile and his demeanour in general becoming more predatory.

Green Acres waited in the sparring field as Horsehsoes walked up, wearing ehr training armour.

"So, how are preparations going?" He asked with a smile. "Sorry it's not the most exciting job, but if you want to enjoy the festival, someone has to make sure it actually happens."

Horseshoes grinned wide. "Oh yeah it was totally fine! Yep, really not a big deal! Anyway, let's fight!"

Green Acres' brow rose at how chipper Horseshoes was, more so than usual at least. He shrugged it off and got ready to spar.

Only a few minutes after, eh was on the ground, panting. "W-wow! Y-you're a lot faster and tougher than i remember! I guess all this sparring is starting to pay off huh?"

Horsehsoes nodded rapidly. "Yeah yeah yeah! So tell me tell me tell me! Am I in am I in am I in?"

"That's...not how application works. Sparring is simply to prepare you for examination, to make sure you're in perfect shape to finally join us. I know it cna be tedious, but winning a single sparring match isn't going to automatically make you join the knights."

Horseshoes frowned and then brightened suddenly. "OH I see I see I just need more of the stuff!" She ran off before he could ask her any questions.

"What stuff?" He frowned.

Razzle Dazzle was outside, writing an essay about magical theory, as per her Master's orders. However, with the festival coming closer and closer, she was growing more nervous. The only spells she knew and could perform adequately were levitation and some spells that Groger taught her, and there was no way she was going to use the spells taught to her by that...monster. She had begged and pleaded with Master Hocus Pocus to teach her more practical spells, particularly combat spells, but he refused, stating that she was too young and new spells required plenty of practice and learning techniques and magical theories, but there was no way she was going to be able to pass the magical duel/exam with only telekinesis...

She tried desperately to ignore the part of her that pointed out that Groger had taught her more in a day than her Master had in over four years...

She heard a loud galloping and looked up, seeing Horseshoes gallop as fast as she could.

"HiRazzsorrygottarunneedthestuffseeyalaterhavefun! "

She blinked. "The hay?" She slapped herself in admonishment for that uncalled for language. That pony was becoming a bad influence...still, from what she was able to see...she didn't like the look in Horseshoes eyes.

She sighed. There was no way Horseshoes was in trouble, and besides, Horseshoes was an adult, and she had her freedom.

Razzle sighed and went back to her studies.

Snake Oil smiled as he accepted the money, giving Horseshoes a bottle of his Cure-All.

She eagerly drank up, dark shadows under her eyes, her eyes looking in awkward directions, her coat a little paler. Snake Oil smirked.

"Now, if you manage to get some people interested in buying my Cure-All I'll be sure to give you THREE bottles on the house."

"Really!?" She grinned wide. "OH thank you!"

"And be sure to keep the knights away, understand?" She nodded enthusiastically and he smirked. "Good, just remember to spread the good word, and all will work out just fine."

She grinned and ran out, eager to earn more bottles. Snake Oil chuckled quietly, rubbing his hooves together.

_Ok everyone, this is my first attempt to make a song as per MLP tradition, however I cannot write songs, so I won't be surprised if my attempt turned out...poorly, at best._

_I hope you all enjoyed it and please comment!_


	2. Chapter 2

My Little Pony G5

Groger

Part 2

The knights had escorted the new visitor to the barracks, where Commander Minty Breath waited stoically. She gazed over the ram-goat hybrid warily.

"A lot of ponies are interested in you." She stated.

"I would expect so. From what I hear, I'm the only outsider from a civilised region to have visited your charming city in quite some time." Groger replied off-handedly.

"Not only are the populace gossiping about you, but the Union would like to speak with you." From his quizzical look she clarified. "They are our leaders, our governing body. Much like you act as king towards your own people but far less...archaic."

"I'm very interested in meeting with them as well, since I'm assuming they will ultimately decide the fates of my prisoners."

Her eyes narrowed. "What crime did these 'flutterponies' commit? Why do you want them back so much?"

Groger gazed steadily at her. "They are vile criminals I wish to see brought to justice, and since they have wronged me and my kingdom, I feel it is my duty to personally ensure they serve their time. As for their crime, well, they have committed high treason, and as it stands as long as they remain free, I fear for my life and the lives of others, especially your own people."

Her eyes widened slightly. "They are that dangerous?"

His lips thinned as he looked at her with utmost seriousness. "As it stands currently, yes."

"Be that as it may," she said, "we still have to wait till they wake up to hear their side of the story, and we have no idea how long that will take. However, we will be cautious and have guards standing closely at all times until they awaken."

He smiled. "I am willing to wait as long as it is required. Now if you don't mind, I would wish to speak to those that are known as 'Unicorns'."

Razzle sighed. The knights were probably furious she had wasted their time, especially since a stranger from another land had to help instead.

She was intrigued by the mysterious outsider. Much like everyone else, she had assumed that no other civilisations had existed outside the Kingdom. But this 'Groger's' very existence has unearthed some intriguing possibilities.

Of course, any questions would have to wait. After all,it was likely the knights and the high ranking wizards were going to come and reprimand her for her actions.

She was waiting outside one of the wizarding community towers, nervous, scared to move in, until she saw someone approach fom the corner of her eyes. She turned to look, and saw it was Groger himself. She fought to compose herself, despite her excitement mixed with her nervousness and worry.

"Hello, traveller from beyond our civilisation." She greeted stoically.

Groger nodded. "It is rare to see one so young treat someone of my stature with the proper respect."

"I am a Unicorn, we all strive to present ourselves in a higher regard than others." She blinked. "What do you mean, 'of your stature'?"

"Surely you have heard, I am a king, a ruler of my entire land, and of my people."

Her eyes widened at that. "So...you are like the Union Councillors?"

He nodded. "Similar, but I dare not bore with the trivial details and differences. I am much more interested in meeting you and your kind. I have heard that all Unicorns can perform magic from birth, is this true?"

She nodded. "However, we need a long time of studying to learn the appropriate spells and skills needed to become a full-fledged wizard." She turned to the tower. "The six towers that surround the Senate are used to house every Unicorn citizen, as well as teach the young and unskilled."

He stared at her slightly. "So, your kind can perform magic, but do not gain mastery upon birth? I had heard that Unicorns were born with great power and skill."

She laughed at that. "Oh excuse me, but its not that simple. Not only do we need to learn several spells to prove ourselves as true Unicorns, but we can't simply memorise every spell in existence. Most of us learn a select amount and use books as reference guides for more complex magic."

Groger smirked slightly. "I myself am quite gifted in magic. In fact, in my younger days, I was known as a prodigy."

She gasped. "B-but you are not a Unicorn!"

He laughed. "For creatures like us, the gift of magic requires but two things, great knowledge, and a horn. Due to my heritage, I was gifted with four horns, granting me superior magical ability and affinity than most others."

"You must show me!" She pleaded. "I would love to see your skills!"

"I will do more than show you, I will teach you what I know? I am correct in assuming you are a student?"

She looked down. "Y-yes, I am, my Master is out of town at the moment, I know not what he is doing...Are you sure you can teach me? I'm...not the ebt student, regardless what anyone says..."

Groger leaned in close to her and gave a small grin. "My dear, you sell yourself short. Among my many skills, I have the ability to measure one's magical ability from simple sight. You, my young Unicorn, have quite a fair deal of untapped potential. Come, let me teach you."

"What the hey were you thinking!?"

Horseshoes grimaced as Green Acre reprimanded her. "I-I didn't think it would be a problem."

He sighed. "Look, I know you didn't mean to, but the way it looks, it looks like you were impersonating a knight, and that's a crime. Not a serious crime, but still a crime. I'll try and blow it over for you and lessen your punishment...again."

"thanks."

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "You know I always got your back sis."

Her eye twitched. "How many times must I tell you not to call me that?"

"All the time. Anyway, since you alerted us to the situation, it'll make convincing a more lenient action towards you much easier. Speaking of, what do you think of our recent visitor?"

She blinked for a few seconds. "Oh, you mean that goat guy? I dunno...He looks kinda creepy, but he knows the two...fugitives I guess we should say."

His eyes narrowed. "Indeed. However, something about him is making me think there's more to it, that he's hiding something. Call it a gut instinct."

She nodded. "You gut never steered you wrong so far."

"So far. Anyway, until we get things sorted, could you go visit Lickety Split and make sure he's doing alright? And get an update on the Flutterponies."

"Lickety who?"

"The witness, the black Pegasus who found the two 'fugitives'."

"Oh right will do!"

She dashed off to the Pegasus' house.

Razzle Dazzle was giving Groger an in depth tour of the wizard community towers, even showing where the libraries of spell books were and introducing him to many esteemed wizards her Master had introduced her to.

They now stood in a largeish room, reserved for practicing magic in doors. They stood facing each other, Groger frowning sternly.

"Now, I will begin to teach you what I know, but first, allow me to demonstrate my own abilities, as proof of my words." He held up his forelegs, giving the Unicorn a good look at the scaled talons he had instead of hooves or cloves. "I am sure you were curious about these? My mother was a ram and my father was a got, and yet I have the talons of a baby dragon."

Razzle Dazzle looked down. "I-I merely assumed they must have been some form of mutation.."

"Nay, it is merely powerful magic, transformation magic, or alteration magic as more...snobbish people would say. It took many years of practice, but I am able to perform it permanently, and alter my body at a whim. Watch."

She watched, wide eyed as two of his horns glowed and then his body turned to gold and he walked around her, smirking. "As you can see, I am quite healthy."

"Teach me! Teach me!" She pleaded, forgetting herself in her excitement.

"No, it is too difficult for one so young, I will however teach you spells that most would deem are far beyond your level, I however believe you'll take to them like a fish in water."

She nodded eagerly and he smirked.

"Very well then, first I shall teach you location charms, so you may never get lost or ever lose any items or persons..."

When Horseshoes entered Lickety Split's house, it was much messier than before. The floor was dirty and covered with cables and cogs and various metals. She blinked when she saw that the unconscious injured creatures had been moved to a larger room, inside which dominated a massive machine that almost filled a good portion of the room. The Flutterponies where positioned on beds inside the machine, Lickety Split standing in front of it wearing a dirty white coat and large goggles.

"What the hey is all this junk?" Horseshoes wondered aloud.

"Junk?" Lickety Split snapped, turning to her. "JUNK!? Zis machine iz a vonder of zcienzzze! A modern miracle that will improve the practices of medicine for generationz to come! How dare you call it mere junk, dumkoff!"

She grimaced, looking at him oddly. "Um...is...Lickety Split here?"

The Pegasus lifted his goggles off and blushed in embarrassement, ruffling his feathers as his wings jittered a little. "Oh sorry...I'm a bit of mechanic and science buff, mainly the practical side of things, and well...I go a bit...weird when I get into it..."

Horseshoes shook her head. "It's...fine...I guess...Still, why were you talking like that?"

"All great genius' talk like that, it wouldn't be traditional if I hadn't." He stated matter of factly.

Her eye twitched rapidly and she started to sweat a bit. "I...I see..." She quickly decided to change the topic lest she get weirded out any further. "So umm what IS the deal with this...machine? And why are our potential witnesses in it?"

Lickety grinned excitedly. "Oh that's simple! You see, its clear that the main reason they haven't woken up yet is that their bodies are conserving energy to allow them to heal. However, assuming they have greater healing abilities than we do, it will still take a good while and it will not fix their wings. And so!" He donned the goggles again. "I invented...ZE REGENERATOR! Yez, it Vill boozt the healing procezz zo zat, not only vill they heal vizzin hourz razzer zan days, but it vill heal what may be nigh impossible to restore, such as zeir vings!" He took his goggles off again, thinking. "Of course, that is assuming I set everything up right. Still, it'll give them a chance get up and talking much sooner."

Horseshoes grinned wide. "Oh my gosh, that's amazing! Fantastic! How soon can you get it working."

He slumped morosely. "Therein lies the rub...I need a massive source of energy to power the damn thing to the level it needs to, and the best source...no, the only source, is Unicorn magic, released at a constant rate. Sadly, I doubt any of those uppity snobs would even consider it, not to mention most ponies these days thinking what I do is 'unnatural' and 'dishonest'."

Horsehsoes grinned. "Hey, my best friend is a Unicorn, I'll bet she'd be glad to help if I asked!"

"Really?" He asked, eyes wide.

"Sure! Just give me a sec to go fetch her!" And so she ran off without letting him reply.

_Here it is folks, part 2! Of episode 2!_

_At first, I wasn't sure what kinda character I wanted Licket Split to be, and I didn't want him to be just another side character, he's a main character! But then, I had an idea: to combine him with another earlier idea I had for a mad scientist type. I don't remember any major my little pony characters fitting this archetype, and i really wanted a character that bucked the trend of ponies not using technology (or at least, big technology), mainly due to Applejack's reaction to said form of technology in the Cider Squeesy 6000 episode of FIM. Since I couldn't think of anything else to do with the idea, I decided to make Lickety Split a mad scientist with a pseudo split personality. Hell, now his name is even meaningful partially! So that's a plus._

_When that happened, the 'mad scientist' persona flowed out. I mainly put it in cause I thought it would be funny seeing a fairly initially bland character acting all nuts and speaking like a German/vaguely European mad scientist and going gaga over some big mechanical monstrosity._

_What do you all think so far? I'd like some feed back on the setting, characters, plot development and whatever else you think? So please comment and I hope you enjoyed it!_


	3. Chapter 3

My Little Pony G5

Want It, Need It

Part Three

Horseshoes grinned mindlessly as she waited outside Snake Oil's caravan. He had come to her and told he needed her to do something for him. She was eager to do whatever he asked.

She frowned...something...something about that thought didn't feel right...Razzle was right, why DID she trust Snake Oile so much, especially since she was sceptical before? Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered attacking Razzle...why? She would never do that, not to Razzle Dazzle, her best friend. She remembered being so angry because Razz took the stuff away from her, but...why? She wouldn't hurt her friend over something so petty and trivial...

She gasped and clutched at her head as she felt a horrible, stinging pain in her head. She unconsciously took a swig of her last bottle, the smiling as the headache dissipated. Her worries vanishing as she forgot what she was even thinking about.

She looked up as the caravan door opened and Snake Oil marched out on his hind legs, his forelegs holding up Razzle Dazzle.

"Professor why is Razz in your arms? And why is she unconscious?"

Snake Oil smirked. "Ah, she's a friend of yours is she? Well, she did a very bad thing, so I had make sure she wouldn't run away."

"Why would she run away?"

"She saw something she shouldn't have, and so now I have to get rid of her."

Horseshoes blinked as she thought that sentence through. "W-What do you mean?"

"I am ordering you to kill her of course. I had considered tying her up and keeping her hostage, but there are too many risks involved in that. Better we just kill her and leave no evidence."

Horseshoes gasped. "K-Kill her!? B-but why would you...!? Why does she...!? You don't need to KILL her!"

He glared. "Is that...defiance? Are you...questioning my authority?"

She whimpered and looked away. "N-no sir but...she's...she's my best friend..."

"She wa going to cause me to lose the cure all, and make sure you won't get any, or anyone else for that matter. And that WILL happen unless you kill her!"

She stared, sweating heavily. "N-no...she wouldn't...I-I NEED the stuff...B-but...She's...She's my..."

She leaned in close to her, glaring into her eyes. "She will make you go cold turkey, make sure you never can have any more cure all!"

She shivered and shook; her lips dry. "M-maybe...maybe I had enough...maybe I drank enough to ensure I get in the knights..."

Music that sounded like similar to the beat of Snake Oil's previous song began to play, but its tone was lower, darker, imposing rather upbeat and jaunty.

"_Had enough? Had Enough?"_

"_Yeah, I don't need anymore..."_

"_Girl, you do not know what you are sayin'_

_You think you can just up and quit,_

_But let me tell you something!_

_You crave that magic liquid_

_You crave it!_

_You cannot live without it!"_

"_I-I can so!"_

"_Prove it!"_

He set down a glass of cure all in front of her.

"_Now, try walking away_

_You can take your friend_

_Go home_

_And never, ever see me again."_

She gulped, sweating, lip quivering, staring down at the glass.

"_However, there is a price_

_For only __**I**__ can provide you with the elixir_

_That you sooooo desire!_

_Never again can you taste the sweet flavour!_

_The rich aroma!_

_Oh," _He grinned wickedly, _"And you can say goodbye_

_To_

_Your_

_Dream"_

"_No!" _She hurriedly grabbed the glass and downed its contents in one gulp.

"_You see!"_ Snake Oil laughed. "_You cannot just say no!_

_You are addicted to this potion!_

_You want it!_

_You need it!_

_You cannot live without it!_

_So you better shut your mouth_

_And do as I say!"_

"_NO!"_ Horseshoes fell to her knees, tears falling down her cheeks.

"_Why can't I just say no!?_

_Why do I feel I need to obey you!?_

_Why do I want this stuff!?_

_Why do I need this stuff!?_

_Tell_

_Meeee_

_Whyyyy!"_

Snake Oil chuckled._ "It's too late for you_

_If I told you the truth,_

_There is not a thing that can be done_

_You were damned the moment_

_You took a sip!_

_You are mine!_

_And you will obey my will!_

You and every pony you convinced to drink my swill!" He grinned maliciously.

"_NO!"_ Horseshoes stared at him, eyes wide in horror.

"_What have I done!?_

_What did you do to me!?_

_What did you do them!?"_

Snake Oil circled around her like a shark, grinning toothily, her eyes narrowed.

"_Foolish little girl!_

_You cannot do a thing!_

_You want it!_

_You need it!_

_You crave it!_

_My patented magical cure all_

_Is your addiction!_

_Your damnation!_

_You are a slave to my word_

_A slave to the product_

_You will do anything for more!_

_Even kill your best friend!"_

"NO please! Anything but that!"

"_Then no more of that potion for you!"_

"No!" Horseshoes fell on her knees, her forehooves raised pleadingly as she cried. "Don't cut me off!"

"_Will you obey?"_

"_..."_

"_WILL YOU OBEY!?"_

"_..."_

"_WILL_

_YOU_

_OOOOOBEEEEEEEYYYYY!?"_

Horseshoes' head sunk, tears falling as she nodded.

"_Yes, I will_

_I want it_

_I need it_

_I will do anything for it_

_Even..."_ She stared up at hi, tears gushing down her cheeks in a thick rivulet, her body shaking, and her voice hoarse.

"_E-Even help you_

_Get rid of my best friend..."_

"_That's good!_

_You want it,_

_Need it_

_You cannot do a thing about it!_

_You cannot live without it!_

_You are hopeless to deny it!_

_You were a fool to try it!"_

"_I was a fool buy it..."_

"_You are enslaved to it!_

_Now, Obey me!_

_Kill!_

_Your friend!_

_RAZZLE DAZZZLLLLLLLEEEEEEEE!"_

At this last part he stood high, his forelegs raised high into the air. As he finished he looked down at Horsehoes and pointed to the tied up and unconscious unicorn behind him. "Pick her up."

He grinned as Horseshoes got up, walked towards Razzle Dazzle and picked her up. He started walking and she followed him, her eyes and head low.

"Why...?"

"Why can't you defy me? Or why do you want the cure all so badly?" The conman chuckled darkly. "The answer lies in the cure all."

"What's in the stuff anyway?" Horseshoes asked despairingly.

"It's not important."

They walked towards the Border Edge of the city, beyond an expanse of farmland. It was a large cliff that surrounded the far eastern edge of the city, the western edge blocked by a tall, steep, rocky mountain and a vast, dense forest where numerous monsters and dangerous animals resided. The two ponies looked over the edge of the cliff, looking down a steep drop into rock and mountain.

"This'll do. I was gonna have you drown her, but then the body would remain." Snake Oil smirked. "Drop her."

Horseshoes stared at him, her body shakingly moving towards the cliff, Razzle held aloft in her forelegs. She shook and shivered, trying to fight against her body, her addiction and her urge to obey.

"Try all you want." Snake Oil smirked. "You cannot fight against my orders, or 'cure all'."

Her eyes widened as he neared the edge. 'No...I have to stop!'

Tears fell as her body continued to slowly walk.

"Hurry up and drop her down the cliff!" Snake Oil barked impatiently.

Horseshoes gasped as her body picked up speed. 'No! Stop! Please! Stop it!'

She froze in place. No, that wasn't right. Her legs were still moving, but she couldn't move forward no matter how hard she tried.

"WHAT!?" Snake Oil shouted angrily.

Razzle Dazzle was breathing heavily, eyes open and conscious, her horn glowing as she used all of her magical power to hold Horseshoes back from the cliff.

"Razz!" Horseshoes cried out happily.

"Horseshoes!" Razzle cried back, struggling in her bonds.

Horseshoes grunted and with all her mental might fought against Snake Oil's command and threw Razzle Dazzle at the conman, but he had already left. The Unicorn tumbled harmlessly along the ground. She was a little hurt, but she was alive. Horseshoes collapsed, sobbing tearfully.

"I'm sorry Razzle! I should've...I WOULD have listened to you...but...the addiction..."

Razzle used her advanced levitation spell, the telekinesis spell, to remove her bonds as she got up and stepped towards her friend. "It's ok...You fought back..."

"That took all I had!" Horseshoes got up shakingly. "I...I have to go back...I...I need it...I NEED that cure all..."

"But you know its bad! That HE'S bad! Surely you know that!"

"I DO!" Horseshoes yelled as she started to walk back to the city. "But...Just because I KNOW doesn't mean I can't quit..."She stared at her friend despairingly, tears streaming. "Razz...H-Help me..."

Razzle Dazzle walked toward her friend, horn glowing as she held the Earth Pony in place. She concentrated and cast a sleep spell on Horseshoes, who immediately fell asleep.

Razzle shook in anger. "Damn that Snake Oil...Because of him, I was forced to use one of THAT person's spells...Damn him for doing this to her..." She sighed, pulling her friend onto her back and running towards the city.

She had to stop Snake Oil from destroying the city.

Green Acres listened intently to the Pegasus, his Commander standing beside him.

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?" Minty Breath asked of Lickety Split.

The Pegasus looked down sheepishly as Green Acres held up a hoof. "I know why. He wanted to protect Horseshoes. He and Miss Razzle Dazzle thought they were helping her by deciding to take care of it themselves. I'm glad that Razzle reconsidered that notion. Did you really think all it would take is one misdeed for Sis to lose her enrolment?"

Lickety Split looked away shamefully and the two knights shook their heads.

"Anyway, no use discussing 'should haves' and misconceptions." Minty Breath stated. "Let's head to the square and check out this 'Professor'."

Lickety looked at them. "Do you know who he is?"

"We don't know a 'Professor Zebediah J. Snake Oil III'," Green Acres admitted, "But we do know a Snake Oil Slick."

"Snake Oil Slick?"

"A former knight, he was stripped of his rank and dishonourably discharged after he was caught accepting a bribe, forging evidence and embezzling taxes." Minty Breath said disdainfully. "He was a wretched scumbag."

The three began walking (hovering in Lickety's case) out the door and down the hall. "Surely he would have known you would recognise his name, even if he did change it, his last name would've been a big tip off?"

"It is, but Slick enjoyed getting attention." Green Acres said. "Besides, that's why he made sure to strike when the other knights weren't on patrol: during the preparations of the festival. Everyone else was posted near the perimeter, he likely would have used a different alias to get past the front gate. Afterwards he used proxies to spread his 'cure all' around, fleecing people dry with his bogus potion. He even made sure to only sell it to normal citizens."

"What I don't get," Minty Breath added, "is why no one else reported him. Or why so many people were willing to buy his elixir. Surely not everyone would've have bought his scam, but by your account he has nearly the whole citizenry hooked."

"I guess we'll have to ask him." Green Acres said, his gaze stern and hard. They walked to the front doors of the Knights' Headquarters when one of the lower ranking knights dashed towards them. "Sirs!"

"What is it, corporal?" Minty Breath asked.

"The citizens are causing a riot!" The knight answered. "They're wrecking homes, attacking each other and everyone else, demanding we give them...something, I'm not sure what. They're tearing down everything!"

The two commanding officers shared a glance and Lickety Split frowned. "That con artist must be behind this."

"Agreed." Minty Breath said. "But why? What's the point of causing a riot? And how did he do it?"

"Lickety Split, you get anyone who isn't rioting out of harm's way and help anyone who needs it along the way." Green Acres ordered and Lickety nodded and flew off. "Commander, I have a feeling they're going to be attacking the towers, so be sure to offer the wizards some assistance if they require it."

Minty smirked, not questioning or challenging the fact that he just ordered her, his superior. "You will stay here and protect the Headquarters?"

"No. The Senate is under protected right now, and I can't risk any of the higher-ups getting in danger due to our negligence."

She smiled. "Good thinking."

They strode towards the entrance doors as they were smashed open and an army of crazed addicts poured in, screaming in anger and those that could brandishing weapons. The two commanding knights got into fighting stance and readied their weapons for non-lethal combat.

Razzle stared at the chaos. She was not expecting such a massive riot. She had no how Snake Oil had managed to cause this, and she didn't care. The monter had to pay. She made sure Horseshoes was still secure on her back and she ran towards the Senate.

As she ran, she noticed the rioters were thinning, and she realised that none of them were attacking the senate. She rushed, wondering what Snake Oil was plotting with their centre of power and politics.

She ran into the building, growing more confused. There was no sign of him anywhere. She searched high and low, and even gace the senators a scare when she searched the main conference room.

"What is a wizard student doing here!?" A unicorn senator demanding.

Razzle flinched. "I-I thought that a dangerous criminal was here..."

"We know about the rioting." Another, calmer Earth Pony senator replied. "You think the one responsible was going to be here?"

"Y-yes I did...I was wrong?"

"Perhaps...why would he be here?"

Razzle looked away. "I-I had managed to sneak into his...his hideaway...I...I found his plans...it didn't have a lot of details...jut showed he was going to make everyone attack the senate...I figured if this was his goal...then he would be here..."

The other unicorn senator considered this. "Then where could he have gone?"

Snake Oil smirked to himself. The central wizarding tower was a large building that the other towers surrounded and was where the highest ranking wizards and scholar hid away, along with their central library and...the treasury. Only the Master Merlin, The Union Senate and the Knights knew about the treasury. It was the safest place to keep anything the Kingdom wanted hidden, hidden.

Of course, ordinarily it was impenetrable, but if one knew where to look, there were certain backs so that anyone could come and go as they please, without drawing attention.

Perfect for his needs.

Snake Oil walked silently down the halls leading to the treasury, smirking as he found his prize. Hanging on the left-hand wall of the treasure was a large, black scythe. He slowly reached for it...

"So, a thief decides to take advantage of a sea of chaos to sneak into the night and steal an accursed treasure."

Snake Oil blinked and turned, seeing the most powerful and influential wizard in the Kingdom, The Master Merlin himself, Hocus Pocus.

The elder Unicorn stood at the open entrance into the treasury, his long black mane and beard thick and luxurious, his pale blue coat hidden under his long white robes, the symbol of his status as the Master Merlin. His light yellow eyes narrowed at the sight of Snake Oil skulking about like a common thief in the night, and the elder pony walked slowly towards the con-artist.

"How did you get in here? How did you even know to come here?" His gaze was cold and steely. "Tell me, how many of my fellow ponies have you hurt today? Well!? You reek of one who harmed my little ponies, so don't try to lie to me!"

Snake Oil stared, then slowly smirked toothily. "Well, I guess I should've expected you to show up sooner or later, old man. You don't remember me, but I remember you. How could I? The most important man in all of the Kingdom, the Master Merlin himself. I met you many times, whenever I was sent to patrol this place and count the itinerary."

Hocus Pocus glared. "Ah, I recognise you now. You were that former knight who was caught stealing from the treasury, lining your pockets with tax payer money as well as making an assortment of deals and accepting bribes from the criminal element." He snarled. "Of course I remember you."

"And I you." Snake Oil chuckled, spinning his cane. "After all, you were the one who had me banished from the Kingdom, forcing me to wander a wretched lifeless wasteland...or at least, that was your plan."

"So there ARE other lands inhabited besides our own." Hocus Pocus stared, wide eyed.

Snake Oil frowned. "Senile old geezer, getting distracted." Snake Oil suddenly swung his cane and Hocus Pocus fell, eyes wide. His horn began to glow, and Snake Oil responded by stamping a hoof on the old stallion's face, grabbing the scythe from the wall and then running as fast as he could. He knew that attack would only be enough to distract and disorient, and the old man wouldn't allow himself to be caught off-guard again.

Snake Oil grinned. At least he got what he came for; now all he had to do was make a clean getaway to his caravan.

Razzle Dazzle ran out into the rioting crowds, searching desperately for Snake Oil. As she exited the senate, she saw Green Acre fighting the rioters, using the staff-handle of his halberd to knock anyone away without hurting them. From the way he was sweating and breathing heavily, as well as the many bruises covering his body, he had been fighting for quite a while.

"Lieutenant!"

He turned to her, panting heavily. "Miss Dazzle, I am glad to see you are alright." He grunted as a rioter kicked him and he kicked them back, pushing them back. "Damn, there is so many, and they're stronger and more resilient than normal."

"It's Snake Oil's cure-all, I am positive." Razzle Dazzle used her telekinesis to push the rioters back, tossing rocks at them as hard as she could manage. "I think there's something in the cure-all, something addictive...something that makes them want it so bad, they would do anything for it."

"It's called Witchweed, my friends, a very potent 'poison', though rather than kill, it makes one stronger, resistant to damage, and all at the cost of their free will." Snake Oil chuckled as he walked in from behind.

"Slick!" Green Acres roared angrily, spinning his halberd to knock his attackers at bay. The rioters continued to attack the knight and the unicorn, who were forced to fight back, but none of the maddened ponies even pared a glance at the con-man.

Snake Oil smirked. "Ah, Green Acres. When I was a knight, you were a simple corporal, now you're second-in-command. Well done." Snake Oil looked around, smiling contentedly. "It really is quite something, isn't? What a little weed can do to a whole Kingdom when used right. A little charm enchantment to make people more willing to listen to me and trust me, an addictive potion that makes them want to buy more and more, and, oh yes, a dash of my own blood to ensure they are obedient to me and me alone." He waved a hoof in front of a rioter's face, making her freeze just as she was about to charge forward and bite Razzle Dazzle's hair. "See, the poison won't let them attack me. And why should it? Supply and demand. They demand more Witchweed, more 'Cure-All', and I supply it. Even have a trusted member of the community spread the word, so that any stragglers will get reeled in."

"Horseshoes." Razzle breathed, her eyes narrowing angrily. "You sick monster! You hurt Horseshoes, made her, nay, the whole CITY into your slaves! And you did it all for money!?"

Snake Oil chuckled darkly. "Why yes, I was paid quite handsomely for this little...revolt. The money I earned through selling the Witchweed was a little bonus."

Green Acres glared, eyes widening in shock however. "Someone PAID you to do this!?"

"OH yes," Snake Oil nodded, "quite handsomely. Half to enact the plan, the other half I'll receive once I go back and give him this." He pointed to the scythe hanging on his back.

Green Acres paled, eyes widening in realization. "Wait...how did you get past the other wizards, and the commander?"

Snake Oil gave him a withering look. "Just because I'm businessman, doesn't mean I can't fight. Remember, former knight here."

Razzle Dazzle snarled and leapt at him, horn glowing. Snake Oil dashed to the side with a showy flourish, tripping the unicorn with his cane, grabbing her horn in the crook and twisting her down onto the ground. Green Acres charged, swinging his halberd, however it was sliced in half as Snake Oil pulled the long end of his cane off, revealing a long, narrow sword.

Snake Oil spun his sword around as the Lieutenant charged, thrusting the long spike on the end of his halberd towards the con-man, who parried with his sword, pushing the halberd back, dashing past and slashing across the stallion's torso, causing Green Acres to collapse in pain.

Snake Oil smirked and walked off, but not before reaching into his vest and throwing several bottles of Cure-All, Witchweed Poison, at the two beaten ponies, the rioters freezing in spot, staring as some bottles shattered and spilt the contents onto the knight and the unicorn.

"Cure-All."

"Want it, need it."

"Cure-All."

"Give it to me."

"Need it."

"Thirsty."

"Need."

They surrounded the two of the them, growing more desperate with their attacks than before. Razzle groggily got up, her horn glowing as several rioter's fell asleep. She turned to Green Acres as more addicted ponies marched over, groaning and mumbling tonelessly like zombies.

"Lieutenant! There are too many for me to put asleep all at once and its difficult enough for me to perform this spell at all! Go after Snake Oil, stop him before he escapes! I don't want that man running free, not after what he did to Horseshoes, to everyone!"

Green Acres nodded, getting up on his hind legs, charging past the rioters, pushing them back as he dual wielded the broken halves of his halberd, gazing at the running form of Snake Oil as the swindler ran into his caravan and stared fearfully at the charging stallion.

Snake Oil's fear morphed into anger. "Why can't any of you people just give up like normal saps!?" He gripped the wheel of his caravan and the engine hummed as he drove off, grinning in triumph. He gasped as he looked back and saw a black Pegasus dropping bombs at him, and Snake Oil barely managed to dodge and weave past the onslaught as several knights approached from the sides, firing arrows at him. Snake Oil snarled, reaching down and throwing explosive bottles of liquid at his pursuers as he tried to drive at the same time.

Green Acres jumped onto the front of the caravan, bashing the axe-end of his halberd at Snake Oil, who countered and parried using his sword, both stallions snarling with rage at each other.

"You hurt my sis!" Green Acres raged. "I will make sure you rot in prison for the rest of your life, Slick!"

"To hell with you, Acres!"

Lickety Split managed to strike one of the caravan's wheel with a bomb, causing the two stallions to lose balance for a few seconds and the caravan fell, its momentum causing it to crash and roll along the ground, heading towards the cliff. Green Acres quickly grabbed Snake Oil and pulled him out as the caravan crashed, upside down, a few feet away from the Cliffside. Green Acres got up as several knights ran to his side and pointed their weapons at Snake Oil.

"You're under arrest." A bruised, battered and tired Lieutenant Green Acres spat coldly.

Snake Oil Slick was marched into the high security prison, at the far end of the city, the closest building to the point where the Cliffside and forestside meet. He glared banefully at the knights who flanked him on each side, ensuring he wouldn't escape, his forelegs tied behind his back to ensure he wouldn't try anything else.

He continued to glare as he was pushed into a prison cell, his clothes in tatters from his fight with the Lieutenant, all that was intact was his top hat.

They locked the cell, locking him in with a few other prisoners, and he just kept glaring.

As soon as they turned away, he smirked.

The medical wizards were working around the clock; casting detox spells to force the narcotics out of the townspeople's systems, the work slow due to the sheer number of victims. There were even talks in the senate about cancelling the festival, but Hocus Pocus had demanded they keep ahead, arguing that it was a crisis like this that the people needed the festival to help take their minds off their problems and simply have a day of fun and relaxation.

Razzle Dazzle and Green Acres stood by Horseshoes' side as one of the wizard's began work on detoxifying her.

"I'm so sorry..." The brown-coated mare croaked, tears falling. "I messed up so bad...worse than I usually do..."

"It wasn't your fault." Green Acres reassured her. "You and everyone else had fallen under Snake Oil's charm enchantment. We're...still trying to figure out how he managed to use magic like that, considering he's and earth Pony..."

"So what? I was still susceptible, weak enough to fall under its influence. And I hurt so many people..."

Razzle Dazzle gazed down at her friend. "You weren't the only one he was using. All that matters is that it's over now, and you can rest." She turned to Green Acres. "Any leads on who hired Snake Oil to do all this?"

"No, but we're looking into it." Green Acres answered. "Whoever they are, they seem to be interested in the scythe that black...creature held."

"We still have that thing!?" Horseshoes snouted in shock.

"The Master Merlin is investigating it, so that we can find out more about this 'Devourer' and if there are others like it." Green Acres gave Horseshoes a stern glare. "Now, just relax, it'll make it easier for the medics to heal you."

"What about Lickety? Didn't he build a healing machine?"

Razzle Dazzle shook her head. "Groger destroyed the only one, and Mr Split is still working on manufacturing a new one." She looked down. "This is the ebst we can do..."

Horseshoes grumbled, slumping back. "Great. I'll be here for so long healing I'll miss all my training AND the festival."

Green Acres chuckled. "Don't worry, you won't miss the festival, AND we'll work on the mental portions of your training in the meantime."

"Awww man!"

Green Acres laughed and Razzle tried to hide a snide smirk.

All was normal again.

_Howdy peeps! Hope you enjoyed it!_

_Ok, so, there a lot of differences here to what I had planned. Originally, Snake Oil's goal WAS to sneak into the Senate, but as I thought about it, I figured Snake Oil would be smarter than to just have his plans lying out in the open. Or at least have a backup plan in case things went awry. I also came to the conclusion the Scythe would be placed in someplace lightly more secure and confidential than the Senate building, hence the creation of the Central Wizard Tower._

_Snake Oil himself has always been envisioned as an Evil Counterpart to of all characters the Flim Flam Brothers of FiM. Basically, the Flim Flams were con-artists, but not particularly smart or devious and not even that evil. Sure they wanted to drive the Apples out of business, but other than that they sold what they had promised (it was their own panic that caused them to sell a bad batch). However, I wanted our villain here to show how dangerous a con-man can be under the right circumstances. He's basically supposed to be like the character the Flim Flam Brothers are often compared to; Lyle Langely(think that's his name at least), a vile sociopath who willingly and knowingly created a deathtrap for the sole purpose of making money, and did so while selling people something nobody needed._

_I also wanted this episode to better show the closeness between Horseshoes and Razzle, as well as show that the knights (especially Green Acres, who also got a bit of development here unintentionally) are capable at fighting threats that aren't extremely super-powered._

_I hope you all enjoyed it, and please comment! (Boy, that was a long Author Note, wasn't?)_


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